Beer or liquid bottling device.



No. 79631193.k n E PATENTED AUG-r;` I, 1905. Y, A.lfJ, SIGNOR.

BEER 0E LIQUID EOITLING DEVICE.

UNITED sfrA'rns PATENT OFEIOE.

ALFRED SIGNOR, OF ELKHART, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO GEORGE L. PUTERBAUGH ANDJESSE C. PUTERBAUGH, OF ELKHART,

iNDiANA.

Speccaticn of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 1, 1905.

Application filed April 23, 1904. Serial No. 204,566.

l citizen of the United States, residing at Elkhart, in the county ofElkhart and State of Indiana., have invented new and useful Improvementsin Beer or Liquid Bottling Devices, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to an improvement in liquid-bottling devices, theobject being to provide a neat, simple, and inexpensive mechanism of theabove character which can be quickly connected and disconnected and onewhich will accomplish the desired result with ease and facility.

A further object is the provision of a device of this nature which canbe easily cleaned in case of need. 4

Another object is the provision of a suitable adjustable support for theliquid-containing receptacle, together with means for rotating thereceptacle so supported to permit of its being emptied or t e liquidcontained therein decanted, and while so decanting or emptying toreplace the liquid with air at atmospheric pressure to prevent theJformation of a vacuum within the receptacle. The rotation of thereceptacle in one direction or the other will permit or prevent theescape of liquid therefrom. v

My invention further consists in certain other novel features ofconstruction and combinations of parts, such as will be more fullydescribed hereinafter and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanyingdrawings, Figure l is a view in cross-section of myimproved decanting or racking apparatus; and Fig. 2 is a similar viewshowing the entire device, including the elevating mechanism.

My invention comprises a portable frame consisting of the feet or basesA, from one end of which rise the uprights B, preferably of channel-ironand U-shaped in cross-section, the open faces of the uprights facingeach other. Cross-braces C and D connect the upper and lower ends,respectively, of thev vided with a suitable depression, such as T,located between the chocks or projecting lugs to receive the keg orbarrel, the chocks preventing the accidental displacement of thereceptacle. The feet, it Will be noted, are connected to the outer facesof the standards, whereas the arms E project from the inner facesthereof, this arrangement permitting the arms to be received between thefeet when the elevator is in its lowermost position, the abrupt inclineat the ends of the feet extending above the gentler inclines or bevelsat the ends of the arms. Journaled in the arms and extendingtherebetween are the su porting-rolls N N, the material of which t earms are formed being cut away, as at 3, to give clearance to the keg orbarrel supported on the rollers.

The rear ends of the arms are provided with guides E, received Withinthe channeled faces of the standards, each guide carrying two or morerollers G G, pivotally secured or journaled thereto, the rollers engaginthe sides of the standards, which form trac is or ways therefor andbeing of a diameter greater than the width of the guides, therebypreventing the frictional engagement of the guides and standards. Aplurality of rollers are employed on each guide in order that there maybe no pivotal rocking movement of the elevator and insure a preciseupward and downward movement only. A cross-rod H extends between and issecured to the guides to retain them in'alinement at all times, andsecured to this cross-rod are the ropes, cables, or other iiexibleconnections I, the opposite ends of which are secured Vto the drum of awindlass J, journaled in and extendingy between the upper ends of thestandardsvand housed beneath the channel-iron cross-brace O. The ends ofthe windlass project through the standards and are provided withratchettoothed wheels K, the teeth of which are adapted to be engaged bythe free end of a pawl L, suitably pivoted to the standards, thewindlass being rotated in one direction or the other by means of thecranks M to raise or lower the elevator.

The armsE are adapted to receive and support the keg, barrel, or otherreceptacle from which the liquid is to be racked, and in placin itthereon the arms are first lowered unti they rest between the feet A,the latter being slightly higher than are the arms. The barrel or keg isthen rolled up the incline 2 of the feet until it rests in thedepression T, whereupon the elevator is raised and the keg is lifted upon the rollers N N. The dotted lines at the bottom of Fig. 2 show thepositions of Athe rollers N N with relation to the feet when the armsare in their lowered position, the gentler inclines l of the arms lyingbeneath and out of contact with the keg or barrel when the latter isrolled up the abrupt ineline 2 2 of the feet.

The elevator is supported at any desired height by means' of theengagement of the pawls L with the ratchets K.

For racking the liquid from the barrel or keg I provide a special formof decanting device comprising a hollow cork P, preferably of rubber orother resilient material, the cork being tapering in contour toenable itto lit bungs of varying sizes. The inner open end of the cork isprotected by a conical screen Q, which may be removably iitted in theopen end and is pierced and supported at its upper end by a vent-pipe Rof considerable length, which projects through the closed head or outerend of the cork and is provided at its outer end with a stop-cock c forregulating the admission of air to the pipe and keg. Short lengths oftubing a a are secured in and carried by thehead of the cork,theinneropen ends of the tubes being contained within the screenedhollow chamber in the cork, the outer ends of the tubes adapted toreceive lengths of hose b, by means ol which they are connected with thebottles or other receptacles to be lilled. In the event that all theliquid-exit tubes a e are not employed and to prevent a waste of theliquid therethrough I provide the plugs c, receivable in the outer endsof the tubes to close them.

In operation I irst load the keg or barrel on the elevator and thenraise it to the desired height, taking care that the bung-hole of thekeg is on top. Vhen at the desired height, the bung is removed and thecork P inserted in place thereof, the pipe R extending nearly to thebottom of the keg, which latter is then given a half-rotation or less onthe rollers N N to bring the bung at the bottom or nearly so. Thebottles d d may be set on a table on a plane lower than the barrel orkeg preferably and being connected with the latter by means of theflexible hose l), whereupon the cock or valve c is opened to admit airto the pipe R and into the keg while the liquid contained therein flowsout by gravity through the exit-tubes c a into the bottles. I/Vhen itisdesired to shut o'll the rlow abruptly, the barrel or keg is rotatedback to its initial position, bung uppermost.

I am aware that prior to my invention beer siphons or pipes have beenused with strainers, corks, and one or more exit-pipes, also, that pipeshave been used at the top or ends of a barrel to force compressed airabove the liquid, the object being to force the contents o'f the barrelout at the top. My invention more particularly involves a gravityeXit atthe bottom and the introduction ol" atmospheric pressure into the keg.

It will also be evident that many changes or suggestions might be madein the lorm and arrangement of the several parts described withoutdeparting Yfrom the spirit and scope of my invention, and hence l do notwish to limit myself to the exact construction herein set forth; but,

Having thus fully disclosed my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1,. A liquid-decanting almaratus comprising a hollow resilient corkreceivable and projecting within the discharge-opening of aliquid-containing receptacle, a screen suitably received and inclosingthe inner hollow end ofthe cork, an air-su pply pipe passing through thecork and screen, the outer end of the pipe in free communication withthe atmosphere, means for closing the outer end of the pipe, adischarge-tube projecting through the cork and communicating with thescreened hollow chamber therein, a llexible hose removably connectedwith the outer end ol" the tube and means for closing the tube whendesired.

2. As an article oll manu'hrcture, a hollow stopper open at its innerend, an air-inlet pipe passing entirely through the stopper andextending some distance beyond the inner end thereof and a delivery-tubeseparate from and independent of the air-inlet pipe and also passingthrough the stopper, the tube and pipe both received in the. openinterior of the stopper.

3. As an article of manufacture, a hollow stopper closed permanently atits outer end, an air-supply pipe passing through the outer closed endof the stopper, a diseharge-tube also passing through the outer closedend of the stopper and a screen formed separately from the stopper andlocated in and covering the open inner end of the stopper, the airpipepassing through and beyond the screen.

4. As an article of n'ianufacture, a stopper comprising a cork open atits inner end to form a chamber within the cork, a screen en gaged bythe open inner end of the cork, an air-pipe projecting through theclosed end of the cork and through the screen, the screen removablysecured upon the pipe and a discharge-tube passing through the closedouter end of the cork, the inner end et the tube received and lyingwithin the chamber inclosed by the cork and screen.

In testimony whereoll I have signed my name to this specificationv inthe presence o'l two subscribing witnesses.

ALFRED J. SIGNOR.

I/Vitnesses JAMES L. HARMAN, HUGH E. CoRBE'r'r.

